Owen, Morris, Matthew Short Ruled Out
Australia faced major injury concerns before the series-deciding T20I in Cairns as Mitchell Owen, Lance Morris, and Matthew Short were ruled out.
Australia have been hit with triple injury setbacks ahead of the series-deciding T20I against South Africa, scheduled for Saturday in Cairns. Mitchell Owen has been ruled out of the third T20I after suffering a concussion when he was struck on the helmet by Kagiso Rabada in Darwin. Although the 23-year-old passed an on-field assessment after being hit on the grille, he reported delayed symptoms following his dismissal. As per protocol, Owen will undergo a mandatory stand-down period of at least 12 days, making him unavailable for the first ODI as well, which would have been his debut in the format.
Meanwhile, pacer Lance Morris and all-rounder Matt Short will also miss the ODI series, starting next Tuesday. Cricket Australia has named Aaron Hardie, Cooper Connolly, and Matt Kuhnemann as replacements in the squad.
Earlier, Josh Inglis was ruled out of the second T20I with ‘flu-like’ symptoms, leading to the inclusion of Alex Carey, who played his first T20I since 2021.
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Morris, who was preparing for his return to international cricket, complained of back soreness ahead of the series. He has now returned to Perth for further medical checks, casting doubt over his participation in the four-day leg of the Australia A tour of India.
On the other hand, Short is still recovering from the side strain he sustained during the West Indies tour. Initially ruled out of just the first two T20Is against South Africa, it has now been confirmed that he will miss the rest of the tour as well.
The three-match T20I series stands level at 1-1 after South Africa’s 53-run win on Tuesday. The decider will be played in Cairns on Saturday, which will also host the opening ODI on August 19. The final two ODIs will be held in Mackay on August 22 and 24.
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Last Updated on August 15, 2025
